Human Cancer Trials Help Pets Too!

Scientists at the University of Illinois have begun human trials for cancer drugs called PAC-1 that cause cancer cells to self destruct but leave normal healthy cells intact. So how did they get these trials under way? With the help of some hound dogs bred specifically for research.

Dr. Tim Fan, a veterinary oncologist at the University, read about the PAC-1 study and decided to contact the author to see how the drugs could help his canine and feline patients. The two started a collaboration on hounds bred for research which they adopt out at the end of the study as pets. In fact, Dr. Fan took in his own hound Ember when she was done with the project. It was Dr. Fan’s passion for helping canines that strongly fueled dog studies using healthy research patients to study aspect of the drug like tolerance, dose, and absorption so that they drug could move onto pets with cancer. Human trials have just begun but the team is cautiously optimistic for efficacy.